Psalms 123:2

26. “Let them not say in their heart, Aha, aha, so would we have it” ( ver. 25 ); that is, We have done what we could, we have slain him, we have taken him away. “Let them not say:” show them that they have done nothing. “Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.” Whence say those Martyrs, “If the Lord had not been on our side, then they had swallowed us up quick.” What is, “had swallowed us up”? Had passed into their own body. For that thou swallowest up, which thou passest into thy own body. The world would swallow thee up; swallow thou the world, pass it into thy own body: kill and eat. As it was said to Peter, “Kill and eat;” do thou kill in them what they are, make them what thou art. But if they on the other hand persuade thee to ungodliness, thou art swallowed up by them. …

25. “Let the table of them be made in their own presence for a trap” ( ver. 23 ). Like the trap which for Me they set, in giving Me such a draught, let such a trap be for them. Why then, “in their own presence”? “Let the table of them be made for a trap,” would have been sufficient. They are such as know their iniquity, and in it most obstinately do persevere: in their own presence there is made a trap for them. These are they that, being too destructive, “go down into Hell alive.” Lastly, of persecutors what hath been said? Except that the Lord were in us, perchance alive they had swallowed us up. What is alive? Consenting to them, and knowing that we ought not to consent to them. Therefore in their own presence there is made a trap, and they are not amended. Even though in their own presence there is a trap, let them not fall into it. …

52. The next verse is, “The proud dealt exceeding wickedly: yet have I not shrinked from Thy law” ( ver. 51 ). By the proud he wished to be understood the persecutors of the pious; and he therefore added, “yet have I not shrinked from Thy laws,” because the persecution of the proud attempted to force him to do this. He saith that they dealt “exceeding wickedly,” because they were not only wicked themselves, but even tried to make the godly wicked. In this humiliation, that is, in this tribulation, that hope comforted him which was given in the word of God, who promised aid, that the faith of the Martyrs might not faint; and who by the presence of His Spirit gave strength to them in their toils, that they might escape from the snare of the fowlers.…

155. “Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me; yet do I not swerve from Thy testimonies” ( ver. 157 ). This hath been realized: we know it, we recollect it, we acknowledge it. The whole earth has been crimsoned by the blood of Martyrs; heaven is flowery with the crowns of Martyrs, the Churches are adorned with the memorials of Martyrs, seasons distinguished by the birthdays of Martyrs, cures more frequent by the merits of Martyrs. Whence this, save because that hath been fulfilled which was prophesied of that Man who hath been spread abroad around the whole world. We recognize this, and render thanks to the Lord our God. …

3. “If the Lord Himself had not been in us, now may Israel say” ( ver. 1 )…When? “When men rose up against us” ( ver. 2 ). Marvel not: they have been subdued: for they were men; but the Lord was in us, man was not in us: for men rose up against us. Nevertheless men would crush other men, unless in those men who could not be crushed, there were not man, but the Lord. For what could men do to you, while ye rejoiced, and sang, and securely held everlasting bliss? what could men do to you when they rose against you, if the Lord had not been on your side? what could they do? “Perchance they had swallowed us up quick” ( ver. 3 ). “Swallowed us up:” they would not first have slain us, and so have swallowed us up. O inhuman, O cruel men! The Church swalloweth not thus. To Peter it was said, “ Kill and eat:” not, Swallow quick. …